AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m just saying we have to be cautious, that’s all. With all that’s happening, she could be a part of the plan to ruin you.”
Lev turned away from him, going over to the driver’s side. “I highly doubt that she is a part of anyone’s ploy to ruin me. Look at her—she can barely defend herself. I offered her an opportunity to spend the night with me, and she got offended by it. What does that tell you?”
“That the enemy can never run out of ideas or strategies?” He shrugged and looked around cautiously.
Again, Lev knew he was right. If Cillian really was after the Bratva, he was going to take lengths and do everything he could to bring them down. But one look at her, writhing in pain on the seat, told him all he needed to know. She was just a victim of circumstance.
“Look, focus on getting the bastard that’s responsible for this mess here at the club. I need to know everything there is who did this and why? I’ll take care of the girl. And if I find out that she’s a weapon, like you think she is, we’ll handle it.”
By the look on his face, Lev knew he’d gotten the communication.
“Yes. Got it.” He nodded and backed away from the car after Lev got in.
The engine started, and he backed the car away from the curb. She groaned and mumbled, “It hurts,” under her breath.
He stole a glimpse at her from over his shoulder and returned his attention to the road ahead. She was peering outside the window, a distant look in her eyes.
“It looks pretty bad. We’ll need to get that cleaned up. I can take you home—to your house, that is.”
She was silent for a moment, and he thought they were going to continue from where they’d left off in the private room after he offered her to spend a night with him. She croaked, muffled a groan, and sighed before he heard her speak.
“I don’t have a medical kit at my house—if I can even call it that. I stay at an Airbnb. You wanna know the funny story? I moved in today.” She laughed at herself—at least, she tried to laugh. It sounded more like a choked sob. “So, basically, I have nothing much there. Just a few things to sleep on.”
Her voice sounded strained, like every effort to speak drew more and more strength out of her.
“It’s fine. I’ll take you to my house then.”
Her head left the window in an instant, and her eyes snapped toward him the second the words were out of his mouth.
They shared a look.
He rolled his eyes, jaw clenched. He wasn’t sure why it upset him that she immediately thought the worst of him.
“Take your mind out of the gutter, Malyshka. Contrary to what you’re possibly thinking, I don’t want you to bleed out and die. I have a medic kit at my house. We can get you cleaned up there.”
She scoffed. “I grazed an arm. I’m not going to die.”
Lev felt his lips quirk. She might have been on her deathbed, but her stubbornness and confidence shone through unapologetically.
“It’ll surprise you to know that you can die by bleeding out.”
She rolled her eyes, but he caught the hint of a smile on her lips. “Don’t mock my intelligence.”
They arrived at the house a moment later, and he wasn’t surprised to see her passed out, with her head drooping on the window. Shutting off the engine, he strutted over to her side and scooped her into his arms.
A few of his men stood guard outside, and he noticed their heads move quietly in Zia’s direction when he walked past the door.
The walk up the steps was fairly quiet, with the sturdy claps of his shoes leaving echoes in the hallway.
He kicked the bedroom door shut with his feet and laid her gently on the mattress. She groaned but didn’t wake up. Even with the cuts, bruises, and bloodied clothes, she was still a sight for sore eyes.
Unable to hold himself, he traced a thumb feather lightly down her jawline and eyed the patches of dirt covering the smooth skin on her chest.
She stirred, her long lashes fluttering as she curved deeper into the sheets like she’d never had a better sleep.
Lev didn’t know how long he’d sat watching her. He didn’t want to wake her, but when she brushed her arm against the sheets and winced, he remembered why he’d brought her home in the first place.
As quickly as he could, he took brisk steps to the cabinet in the bathroom and returned to the room with a fully stocked medical kit.
